Question 1

Is witnessing really necessary?

Accepted Answer

Acts 1:8“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”Jesus described witnessing as normal for his disciples, empowered by the Holy Spirit. If we are followers of Jesus, we are being witnesses to his presence in our lives, whether we are being effective at it or not.Psalm 107:2Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.Mark 16:15Then he [Jesus] told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.”God wants us to tell others about what he has done. When we fail to do this, others may assume God has done nothing for us or question the reality of our claim to be a follower of Jesus.Mark 1:17Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”Acts 10:42“He ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead.”Telling others the story of Jesus is an essential part of being a follower of Jesus. Simply tell others why you love him; he promises to soften the hearts of many who listen. Do you know why?2 Kings 7:9Finally, they said to each other, “This is not right. This is a day of good news, and we aren’t sharing it with anyone! . . . Come on, let’s go back and tell the people at the palace.”It isn’t right to keep the Good News to ourselves. Our witness may be the only way some people will ever hear the Good News. Being a Christian isn’t about getting “in” to some exclusive group. It’s about experiencing something so wonderful that you can’t wait to invite others to experience it, too. Is this how you feel about being a Christian? If it isn’t worth sharing, how much is it really worth to you?Romans 10:14How can they [lost people] call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?The only way some people can experience all the benefits of following God is by hearing and believing his message of Good News—and that may need to come from you!Acts 28:23-31On that day a large number of people came to Paul’s lodging. He explained and testified about the Kingdom of God and tried to persuade them about Jesus from the Scriptures. Using the law of Moses and the books of the prophets, he spoke to them from morning until evening. Some were persuaded by the things he said, but others did not believe. And after they had argued back and forth among themselves, they left with this final word from Paul: “The Holy Spirit was right when he said to your ancestors through Isaiah the prophet, ‘Go and say to this people: When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’ So I want you to know that this salvation from God has also been offered to the Gentiles, and they will accept it.” For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him.A straightforward description of our personal encounter with Jesus is a powerful testimony. This is the place for us to start.Ezekiel 3:18“If I warn the wicked, saying, ‘You are under the penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths.”We have a responsibility to tell others about Jesus if the opportunity arises.Jude 1:23Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.We are called to rescue others from the flames of judgment.

Question 2

How will God help me be a witness to my faith?

Accepted Answer

Mark 1:17Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”Sharing our faith is a natural expression of our relationship with Jesus. When we pray for sensitivity to know what to say, God promises to lead us to those he has made ready to hear his Good News.Acts 1:8“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”The Holy Spirit will empower us and help us to speak. This does not mean we won’t at times feel awkward or under pressure. As soon as we bear witness about Christ, we are communicating not only at the natural human level; we are also speaking in the spiritual realm.1 Corinthians 2:1-5When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.1 Thessalonians 1:5When we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true.Go ahead and speak, and the Holy Spirit will do the work in people’s hearts and minds.1 Thessalonians 2:5Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know. And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money!We are to focus on pleasing God rather than on pleasing people.Acts 18:9-10One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you.”You are not alone when you witness. God is there to give you the words and the strength to proclaim the message. Be attentive to open doors and opportunities placed before you by the Holy Spirit.

Question 3

What if I find it difficult to share my faith?

Accepted Answer

Daniel 12:3Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.Luke 12:8“I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels.”God will honor those who honor him by proclaiming the Good News of what he has done. There is no greater purpose in life than sharing the message that could make the eternal difference in someone’s life. Meditate on what would have happened if everyone in your life was too uncomfortable to share the Gospel with you, so you never heard about Christ.2 Timothy 1:7-9God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.When the enemy tries to intimidate us with lies about our inadequacies, we can summon that same power God used to transform us to boldly share our faith. Courage doesn’t mean no fear; it means going ahead in spite of fear.

Question 4

What should my witnessing include?

Accepted Answer

Exodus 18:8-11Moses told his father-in-law everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and Egypt on behalf of Israel. He also told about all the hardships they had experienced along the way and how the Lord had rescued his people from all their troubles. Jethro was delighted when he heard about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel as he rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians. “Praise the Lord,” Jethro said, “for he has rescued you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh. Yes, he has rescued Israel from the powerful hand of Egypt! I know now that the Lord is greater than all other gods, because he rescued his people from the oppression of the proud Egyptians.”John 9:25“I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!”Our witness should include telling others how God has rescued us and freed us from the burden of sin.Psalm 28:6Praise the Lord! For he has heard my cry for mercy.We are to tell others about the prayers God has answered.Psalm 30:3You brought me up from the grave, O Lord. You kept me from falling into the pit of death.We are to explain how God has saved us from spiritual death.1 John 1:2This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us.We are to tell others the terrific news that anyone can have the gift of eternal life in a perfect world. It’s not too good to be true.Luke 23:34-43Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” A sign was fastened to the cross above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”Our witness about Jesus may get scoffed, but it may also be received with surprising insight. The thief on the cross realized several crucial parts of the Gospel message: his own sinfulness, Jesus’ sinless character, and his helplessness without God’s help. When someone demonstrates this kind of understanding, we can assure them, as Jesus did this man, of their destination in paradise.Acts 4:33The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all.We are to tell others about the resurrection of Jesus, the basis for our hope in eternal life.Acts 10:42“He ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead.”We are to warn people about God’s ultimate judgment ahead. Eventually there will only be two sides. It’s important to be on God’s side.1 Peter 3:15If someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.We should always be ready to explain why we have hope. We are to trust God to give us the words, but we should take time to think about situations or questions others may ask about our life or faith and how we might respond.1 Corinthians 2:2I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.We are to tell how Jesus died on the cross to take away the punishment that our sin deserves.Luke 24:47“It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’”Romans 3:23Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.1 John 1:8-9If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.We are to explain the message of repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation with God, emphasizing how it has impacted our lives. We can let the Holy Spirit convict others and guide them to connect their story with our own story of grace.Romans 10:9If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.We need to make clear the need of our friends to confess Jesus Christ as Lord and to believe in his resurrection.1 Thessalonians 1:5When we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you.How we live is an important element of our witness for Jesus. We need to make sure that our actions match our words.

Question 5

What should I do when people aren’t interested in hearing about Jesus?

Accepted Answer

1 Peter 2:12Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.Our actions are, in themselves, a testimony to the world. Be aware that disinterest is often evidence of resistance. Pray for those who don’t seem to care about the Gospel.Matthew 9:10-12Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.”Believers must build genuine relationships—as Jesus did—in order to have an opportunity to minister to the lost.Luke 8:4-8One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”Sometimes our role is simply to plant a seed of faith and trust God to bring the harvest. Jesus’ parable reminds us there are four types of responses to God’s Good News, but only one of them leads to a harvest. We should pray that God will break-up and prepare the hard ground, rocky soil, or weed infested hearts around us.Acts 17:32-34When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.” That ended Paul’s discussion with them, but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.The majority of our listeners may seem disinterested or hostile, but we cannot know when someone will believe—so we should not give up.Ezekiel 2:5-8“And whether they listen or refuse to listen—for remember, they are rebels—at least they will know they have had a prophet among them. . . . You must give them my messages whether they listen or not. But they won’t listen, for they are completely rebellious! Son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not join them in their rebellion. Open your mouth, and eat what I give you.”2 Timothy 4:1-2Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.Even if attitudes or circumstances are not favorable, we should courageously speak out anyway. In this way we honor God.Luke 9:5“And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”If after you have shared God’s Good News, people refuse to accept it, keep going—there are many others to tell.

Question 6

What does evangelism have to do with leadership?

Accepted Answer

1 Peter 2:12Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.Godly leaders understand that the ultimate goal of life is to have a healthy relationship with God. They keep this in mind as they work with people who don’t know God. Leaders don’t abuse their position of power to coerce commitment, but they do use opportunities to encourage those they lead to consider the “big picture” of life.Matthew 5:13-16“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”If we are truly following Jesus, our lives will naturally bear witness to others. The way we live should lead others to think positively about the Lord and attract others to him.Acts 26:9-29“I [Paul] used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene. Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death. Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus. I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities. One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.’ ‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked. “And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. You are to tell the world what you have seen and what I will show you in the future. And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’ And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven. I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do. Some Jews arrested me in the Temple for preaching this, and they tried to kill me. But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen—that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, and in this way announce God’s light to Jews and Gentiles alike.” Suddenly, Festus shouted, “Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!” But Paul replied, “I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the sober truth. And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak boldly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner! King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do—” Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?” Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.”Powerful leaders are not above receiving the God’s Good News; they also need to hear it. Paul did not hesitate to speak even to those who had the power over his life.

Question 7

Isn’t witnessing a job for trained people, like pastors or missionaries?

Accepted Answer

John 9:25“I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!”Every follower of Jesus has the privilege and responsibility of bearing witness to what Jesus has done for them.2 Corinthians 5:18-21God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.Every believer is an ambassador for Jesus to a nonbelieving world.

Question 8

How do I overcome my fear of witnessing?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 18:12-14“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.”We should shift our attention from what we are feeling to the needs of those to whom we may be speaking. Our commitment to witnessing begins by understanding that lost people matter to God.Matthew 10:26-39“But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear! Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. ‘I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household!’ If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.”We need to develop a greater fear of God than we have of anything or anyone else. When we are afraid of people or circumstances, we are demonstrating that we actually think God is too small or powerless to deal with what we face.John 7:12-13There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some argued, “He’s a good man,” but others said, “He’s nothing but a fraud who deceives the people.” But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders.Even Jesus’ closest followers struggled with a hesitancy to witness on his behalf.Acts 9:1-6; 28:20-23Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” . . . “I [Paul] asked you to come here today so we could get acquainted and so I could explain to you that I am bound with this chain because I believe that the hope of Israel—the Messiah—has already come.” They replied, “We have had no letters from Judea or reports against you from anyone who has come here. But we want to hear what you believe, for the only thing we know about this movement is that it is denounced everywhere.” So a time was set, and on that day a large number of people came to Paul’s lodging. He explained and testified about the Kingdom of God and tried to persuade them about Jesus from the Scriptures.A straightforward telling of a personal encounter with Christ is the most powerful testimony anyone can give.Exodus 4:12“Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”Luke 21:15“I [Jesus] will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!”Trusting that God will speak through us will help us to overcome our fear of witnessing.2 Corinthians 4:11, 13Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. . . . But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.”Even when we are facing death, faith in God can give us the courage to speak.Psalm 27:1The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?Isaiah 44:8“Do not tremble; do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim my purposes for you long ago? You are my witnesses—is there any other God? No! There is no other Rock—not one!”Acts 18:9-10One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you.”We are to take courage and find strength in God’s power, presence, and protection.Ezekiel 2:6“Son of man, do not fear them or their words. Don’t be afraid even though their threats surround you like nettles and briers and stinging scorpions. Do not be dismayed by their dark scowls, even though they are rebels.”We are to trust God and realize that rejection is just part of the territory in which we are travelling.John 12:26“Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.”Acts 4:18-20So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”Acts 5:40The others [Jewish leaders] accepted his [Gamaliel’s] advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.We should realize that as we suffer for our witness, we are following in the footsteps of Jesus and the apostles.Acts 1:8“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”We should remember that the Holy Spirit will empower us and help us to speak.1 Corinthians 2:3-4I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit.1 Thessalonians 1:5When we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true.We should go ahead and speak by faith, and the Holy Spirit will work in people’s hearts and minds.

Witnessing